"Sweden is in the North."

Translation: Sverige ligger i Norden.

[PrauaeBoleti]

What about Sverige ligger i norr? It doesn't specify "Nordic region" in the English portion here.

[MarisBoyd]

kunna man också säger: sverige ligger mot norden?

[Super-Svensk]

Mot means "towards" or "against."

[Arnauti]

The thing here is that Norden is a geographical unit in Swedish, but not in English – it's called 'The Nordic countries' in English, but we can't say that Sweden is 'in' that.

[PaulGratrex]

You certainly can! Sweden is in the Nordic countries. England is in Great Britain. Chad is in Africa. The Earth is in the solar system. "In" is a very versatile word here!

[Arnauti]

So do you say that Britain is 'in the European countries'?

[PaulGratrex]

Hmm...I could say "Britain is in Europe," or "Britain is in the European Union." The only reason I can think of why I wouldn't say "in the European countries" is because "the European countries" is an odd phrase in English.

I don't think the problem is saying "Sweden is in the Nordic countries" so much as that "...the Nordic countries" is a bit of a strange phrase. ("The Nordic region" slightly less so; "the Nordic group" even less.) But "Sweden is in the Nordic region" certainly doesn't strike me as wrong per se, just a little odd.

I suppose, if I were to use the phrase, I'd be more likely to say "Sweden is one of the Nordic countries," or "Sweden is part of the Nordic countries."

[Arnauti]

Indeed, you'd rather say Sweden is one of the Nordic countries, because, as I said in my first comment, 'the Nordic countries' and 'the European countries' are not geographical units in the sense that 'Europe', 'the European Union', 'Great Britain', 'Africa' or even 'the solar system' are.

in the Nordic region works fine, since a region is a unit, 'countries' are not – except 'the Low countries', but that's a different story altogether.

[PaulGratrex]

I'll concede defeat. It sounded like it could work, but you've convinced me. Thanks for your time!

[MarisBoyd]

Tack!

[kenmatin]

på norden?